| First off it sounds like you are doing everything right and that you are a good parent who cares and that is awesome. It sounds like you are still in the information gathering phase as to what options and help there is. Who provided the diagnosis? The pediatrician? Or did you see a developmental pediatrician? And what therapies did they recommend or refer you to? Did they recommend any therapies like occupational therapy and feeding therapy? OTs do a lot of sensory and feeding work so it is a good way to start. Sensory processing disorder is typically manifest of other developmental autism, ADHD and other developmental delays. So I would consider pursuing and pushing for a referral to get an autism diagnosis and then look into services like ABA. It may be that she is still young that the doctor didn't want to call it autism or may not be qualified to do so. But she is not too young to be evaluated for autism. You mention that she has frequent meltdowns and trouble with transitions which are signs of autism. There are other signs like self soothing (rocking, flapping), rigidity (lining things up), eye contact and trouble communicating, but as it is a spectrum they may not all may be manifest. With an autism diagnosis you can get more services for her which can include PCA (a paid care provider) to help you. What level of support you can get will depend on where you live in and her needs. If you are in the USA your state should have an Arc which can help you find services and navigate the system. https://thearc.org/. Health insurance should cover ABA therapy. Some communities have center based day programs grouped by age and need which work on getting them ready for school. I think they are fantastic. You can also get home based services as well. It sounds like you are a concerned and caring patient wanting to do the best for your daughter. The good news is that she is young and the therapies do work. Best to start now before you get into the school systems who are not well equipped. I have been in your shoes and am still in them so to speak and it does get better. What you learn in helping your daughter will also help you become a great manager/leader. Also no matter which job you take be sure to set limits on your work. Management is all about setting expectations and leveraging the resources available to you vs being superhuman and doing everything. |